Alexandra Trofort

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”-St. Agustine

I don't know where to start. What I do know, is that this trip has been extraordinary. I have gone so many places and did so many incredible things; I almost didn't want it to end!

I still remember how I felt before the trip. I was a little nervous in the beginning, because I didn't know anybody. But when it came time to leave and start journey alone, the counselors were already there to welcome me. I remember immediately feeling much better in that moment; although still feeling a little anxious and overwhelmed. By the time I was on the bus, I couldn't help but think about what would happen. Would I gain friends? Would I remain alone? Would this trip be fun? But by the time our bus arrived at the campsite, the counselors assigned groups to sleep in tents for the first three days so we could make new friends. Luckily, I ended up with a nice group of girls. We clicked really quickly, and within a few hours, it seemed like we were all friends before the trip. I felt like I adjusted very quickly thanks to everyone, especially the counselors. During the trip, we started off with camping nights, and then went on the hotel nights. Most of the kids liked the hotel nights better because of personal reasons, like sleeping in an actual bed, or getting a really nice breakfast- but I felt differently.

I actually enjoyed the camping nights more because that was when we all really got a chance to bond. In the hotel, you are with only one or two other people in a room. For camping nights, our tents were all close together, and we usually had about four to six people in each tent. I felt that we got to connect with each other a lot better. One of my favorite moments was when we had our last camp night. We all helped to build a bonfire and then we each made s’mores (which tasted amazing!). This was probably the time I felt closest to everyone; almost like a family. I remember it being a very heartwarming feeling. I also have to say, there were some heart-racing times too! One of my other them was Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto (which is Canada’s biggest theme park). The group I was in went on all of the extreme rides. In this group I also became closer with a couple people since we shared the same interest of roller coasters. Going to Canada’s Wonderland was probably the most thrilling experience I had on the trip. Despite all of the fun and action, we also visited many places that were both beautiful and astonishing, like Hockey Hall of Fame and the city of Montreal. One of the most incredible and inspiring places I visited was Niagara Falls. The view from the high tower was breathtaking. My favorite part of the trip to Niagara Falls, was when we went on a ride called the “Maid of the Mist”. The Maid of the Mist was basically a boat ride that went really close to the falls and back. Our group got to wear ponchos on the ride. As we got closer, and closer to the falls, it became extremely windy. You could feel all the tiny specks of water hitting your poncho. Either way, Niagara Falls was a spectacular sight! I think everyone would have agreed that going on the Maid of the Mist was the best and most exhilarating way to experience it. Another part of Niagara Falls I enjoyed greatly was the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours. This was my first time ever going on something like this; so I was super pumped to try it. Fortunately, I got a seat near the front row so I could get a lot of the action. The water ride our group was going was going to go through the Niagara River. We went through all the rapids; class 1 though class 5 (class 6 was illegal to go through). Some of my favorite parts were when the driver went straight into the waves. We all got soaking wet at the end, but it was a super fun adventure!I One of the other interesting experiences I had was trying lobster for the first time in Maine. My family doesn't eat shellfish, so I thought it would be neat to try lobster. I actually ended up liking it a lot. Visiting Boston was another great event- especially the Boston Duck Tours. For the tour, we took a “duck” (which is what they call a “bus-boat”) around the city of Boston while the tour guide told us the history of different sights we saw. Soon after, the tour guide drove the duck into the Charles River where we got a really nice view of the city.

I have to say though, all of the experiences I have had, have all been amazing in their own way. They have brought to me more understanding of the world around me. Since each place had their similarities and differences, I learned so much more about the East Coast. At the same time, leaving behind all the new friends that I made was one of the most heart-breaking moments on the trip. It was extremely hard to say goodbye, but I will always remember the amazing time I had with them. Even after I arrived home, I couldn't stop thinking about the trip. I have enjoyed every single moment of it, and I hope that maybe some day, I might get to travel like this again and explore new places of this beautiful world. I hope that every kid will get to experience something like this in their lives at some point, because to me this was truly, a trip of a lifetime.I'm extremely grateful to Trip of a Lifetime for giving me opportunity to travel with other teens this summer, to see new places I’ve never seen, and create wonderful memories.

This trip changed my life and inspired me to dream big not only for myself, but for others, to see the world with different eyes, and broaden my understanding of traveling.